Aye Carumba!!!!

[TheRake]

Incredible...2 certified maniacs (SB and UTG+1) and a whole cast of other morons. I tried to isolate...didn't work /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Party Poker 2/4 Hold 'Em (10 handed) converter (http://www.stompandcrush.com/cgi-bin/hhparser.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises, Hero 3-bets, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls, SB caps, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Button calls.

Flop: (25 SB) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Button calls, SB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: (18.5 BB) 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Button raises $6 (All-In), SB calls, UTG+1 calls, Hero 3-bets, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, SB calls, UTG+1 calls.

River: (32.5 BB) A/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(6 players, 1 all-in)</font>
SB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, SB calls, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: 34.5 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 27.5 BB, between Hero, Button and SB.
Pot 2: 5 BB, between Hero and SB.
Pot 3: 2 BB, between Hero and SB.</font>

Results in white: <font color="white">Hero shows 8c 8h (three of a kind, eights). Button shows 5c 5h (three of a kind, fives). SB shows 4h Ah (a pair of aces). </font>

TheRake

[bicyclekick]

I think your isolation raise was a good move, even though it didn't work. Owell.

Good play the rest of the hand.

[TheRake]

bicyclekick,

Sometimes it seemed imposible to isolate anyone. There were always 2 or 3 people at this table willing to call 3 or 4 cold. One time I raised AK from EP and it came back to me capped. Another time I was in Middle position with AA and it was capped before betting got to me. Totally incredible!!

TheRake

[Louie Landale]

You should never, and I mean NEVER use "2 maniacs and a host of morons" and "isolate" in the same sentance.

- Louie

[JDErickson]

I was actually sitting at this same table. When Rake says maniacs he is being nice to them. One guy's stats were 97% flops seen and 81% raise PF. 2 other were in upper 70's on flops. I was lucky enough to get seated right to the left of main maniac. I was salivating over all the money I was going to make. Isolate and kill. isolate and kill.

Unfortunately the rest of the table was not cooperating. Maniac raises as usual and I 3 bet. Mp caps and there are 2 or 3 who call 4 cold /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I was unsure how to play at this kind of table. I knew I could beat main maniac with any decent holding but what about the other players?

Any advice for these situations?

I did end up $100 at the table but I could have made so much more /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Thanx
Jim

[bisonbison]

Hey rake, can you PM me this hand history? I don't like the repeating pots with the same players.

[ordnaryjam]

[ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately the rest of the table was not cooperating. Maniac raises as usual and I 3 bet. Mp caps and there are 2 or 3 who call 4 cold /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Any advice for these situations?



[/ QUOTE ]

If your isolation raises arent being respected by the rest of the table then stop attempting to isolate him. Three bet with hands you would normally raise one or two limpers with, but not with drawing hands like JTs- with all the action preflop you are hurting your implied odds. I would three bet with TT or higher, AK, AQ and ATs-AKs, and KQs.

[sthief09]

In the spirit of S&amp;M, I might've waited for the turn to raise. You juiced the pot on the flop, which is great for top set, but raising the turn, forcing everyone to call 2 BB would probably do a better job of clearing everyone out.

[SpiderMnkE]

Damn!!! Wish I coulda been there

[Louie Landale]

So, you prefer orange juice over lemonade. Never-the-less, when its raining lemons make lemonade.

You need to adopt a strategy that enhances the mistakes the opponents are making; not one that tries to reduce those mistakes. Trying to make the callers play better by respecting your isolation plays is rediculous. In this case if there is a maniac raisor and a bunch of brain-dead callers, it means [1] the maniac is in first position for most better rounds [2] you need to make a strong hand to win.

You are NOT in a my-pair-beats-your-pair game. You'll make MORE money with 87s against 7 players than ATo heads-up against the maniac. Really. This is ESPECIALLY true if you get to raise once or twice on the expensive streets once you DO make you strong hand.

Put the maniac on your LEFT. Routinely you'll check, he'll bet, and you have last position on almost every betting round. In this case you get to see what the field is going to do before you act. Forget about trying desperately to win with unimproved 88. When you make a strong hand the limpers will willingly draw slim or dead against you and you'll make a bunch of money that way.

- Louie

Putting the maniac on your RIGHT only makes sense if the rare situation where you CAN and WILL control all the other players, AND you know when the maniac has a good hand allowing you to fold.